“Sad and lovely writing.”

“I found this a captivating read. As we all deal with aging family, friends, and selves, these are just the kind of bonds, both tenuous and sturdy, that take on great meaning. I love the writing, what a light touch. And so moving.”

“I read “Skating Through the Ages,” with great interest. The City of Boston purchased the land bordering the pond in the early 1890s and it became a park run by Boston’s Park Dept. They watched the formation of ice very carefully and never opened the pond for skating until there were at least seven or eight inches of ice thickness. Trolleys going to that area used to put up a signal when skating was OK. From the 1920s there were more and more years when with mild temperatures the ice was never thick enough for skating to be allowed so people started going elsewhere. Used to broadcast suitability on the radio and in the 40s at the pond they played recordings of Strauss waltzes to the skaters on the ice through a system of speakers. After several mild winters Mayor Hynes closed the pond to skating in 1954 or 1955 and that became a permanent ruling in spite of protests and subsequent years of very suitable ice for skating. Thus c. 300 years of skating there ended. I believe part of it was political as well since they wanted public support for the pressure for MDC to build its system of skating rinks. The Kelly Rink was built nearby in Jamaica Plain in 1965 and later another rink on the other side of the pond.

I am 20 years older and grew up skating in the Connecticut River Valley (as we all did then) in MA where the climate was colder than in the Boston area.”

“I love this essay! It’s super helpful! Your writing is terrific, and your soul is generous.”